Many "Ugly Betty" fans were sad to hear the show was being cancelled last season, but fans of Vanessa's will be happy to hear that she's signed on to join the upcoming season of "Desperate Housewives".

The multi-talented mother of four (Melanie, 21, Jillian,19, Devin,17, and Sasha, 10) recently shared the most important lesson that being a single mom has taught her: "My biggest lesson is to surrender, to stop trying to control. You never know what life has to offer. Yes, have a plan, but also be open to the possibility that you don’t know what’s next. The best things that have happened in my life have been complete surprises."

Ann Monroe (aka Maureen Smith) is a Santa Monica based writer and editor who drives her friends and family crazy with her non-stop love for wordsmithing & humor. Her relentless passion for writing, design, research and travel has steered her into many life adventures ranging from writing to winemaking to real estate project development.